New updated checklists of Protected and Threatened Species in Ireland

An updated checklist of Irelands protected and threatened species has been recently published by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS). The checklist provides a list of the plant and animal species that are afforded legal protection in Ireland, through the EU Nature Directives (Birds and Habitat Directives), and the Wildlife Acts and associated Statutory Instruments (e.g. the Flora (Protection) Order). The species covered in this checklist include; plants, vertebrates, insects and invertebrates.

Each checklist also includes species that have been assessed as at risk of extinction on the island of Ireland. The checklist also provides a listing of the plant and animal species that Red Listed and therefore assessed as in danger of extinction, and/or assessed as Near Threatened and likely to qualify for a threat category in the future. In total, 1,050 species are included in the checklists.